23rd Ryu-O Match Game 6
[Black "Habu Yoshiharu, Challenger"]
[White "Watanabe Akira, Ryu-O"]
[Event "23rd Ryu-O sen, Game 6"]
[Date "December 14th and 15th 2010"]
1.P7g-7f 00:00:00 00:00:00
2.P8c-8d 00:00:00 00:03:00
Again Watanabe leaves the choice of opening to Habu by playing 2.P8d. It is a subtle
way of saying: "I have an answer for everything you want to throw at me".
3.G6i-7h 00:01:00 00:03:00
4.G4a-3b 00:01:00 00:04:00
5.P2g-2f 00:03:00 00:04:00
6.P8d-8e 00:03:00 00:05:00
7.B8h-7g 00:04:00 00:05:00
8.P3c-3d 00:04:00 00:05:00
9.S7i-8h 00:06:00 00:05:00
10.B2bx7g+ 00:06:00 00:06:00
11.S8hx7g 00:07:00 00:06:00
12.S3a-4b 00:07:00 00:07:00
13.S3i-3h 00:13:00 00:07:00
14.S7a-7b 00:13:00 00:08:00
15.P9g-9f 00:15:00 00:08:00
16.P9c-9d 00:15:00 00:08:00
17.P4g-4f 00:17:00 00:08:00
Like in the fourth game, Habu goes for the Kakugawari Koshikakegin, an opening
where black has a very high winning percentage.
18.P6c-6d 00:17:00 00:09:00
19.S3h-4g 00:20:00 00:09:00
20.S7b-6c 00:20:00 00:09:00
21.K5i-6h 00:21:00 00:09:00
22.S4b-3c 00:21:00 00:19:00
23.G4i-5h 00:24:00 00:19:00
24.S6c-5d 00:24:00 00:22:00
25.P3g-3f 00:28:00 00:22:00
26.K5a-4b 00:28:00 00:25:00
27.K6h-7i 00:30:00 00:25:00
28.P6d-6e 00:30:00 00:31:00
This is Watanabe's prepared opening strategy. Without the knight on 7c and with
the pawn on 6e the white position has fewer weaknesses, but it also harder to attack
the black position. Again, Watanabe opts for a waiting game, which seems uncharacteristic.
29.S4g-5f 00:44:00 00:31:00
30.G6a-5b 00:44:00 00:32:00
31.P1g-1f 00:45:00 00:32:00
32.P1c-1d 00:45:00 00:32:00
33.N2i-3g 00:58:00 00:32:00
34.K4b-3a 00:58:00 00:33:00
35.G5h-4g 01:07:00 00:33:00
36.P4c-4d 01:07:00 00:40:00
37.P2f-2e 01:14:00 00:40:00
38.G5b-4c 01:14:00 00:42:00
39.K7i-8h 01:37:00 00:42:00
40.K3a-2b 01:37:00 00:43:00
41.G4g-4h 01:38:00 00:43:00
42.G4c-4b 01:38:00 00:50:00
43.R2h-2i 01:42:00 00:50:00
44.G4b-4c 01:42:00 00:59:00
45.L1i-1h 02:14:00 00:59:00
46.L9a-9b 02:14:00 01:24:00
This is turning into a deep strategic battle. Black wants to attack with P4e, but the
timing is extremely difficult. In a position with the lances on their original squares
and the king on 3a instead of 2b, there are 21 games with P4e and black has won no less
than 18 of them. Habu knows that position well, because he played it three times (two
times with black and once with white) and won all three of these games. Watanabe is of
course aware of this, but he still is happy to play the waiting game.
47.R2i-2h 02:29:00 01:24:00
48.G4c-4b 02:29:00 01:25:00
49.R2h-2f 02:30:00 01:25:00
50.G4b-5b 02:30:00 01:32:00
Very subtle, but also very important. As soon as black moves the rook to 2i, white
must be able to play the gold to 4c to have an optimal defensive position. If white
plays the gold to 4c here, black plays 51.R2i and now white is forced to play a move
and any move will create a weakness. Habu once said that in shogi there are sometimes
positions where you want to pass, and this is an example. Moving the lances up earlier
is creating a weakness, but both players don't want to change their formations but are
required to play a move so they have no choice.
51.R2f-2i 02:38:00 01:32:00
52.G5b-4c 02:38:00 01:32:00
53.R2i-2h 02:39:00 01:32:00
54.G4c-4b 02:39:00 01:32:00
55.R2h-2g 02:39:00 01:32:00
56.G4b-5b 02:39:00 01:34:00
57.P4f-4e 02:44:00 01:34:00
58.G5b-4c 02:44:00 01:55:00
59.P4ex4d 03:10:00 01:55:00
60.G4cx4d 03:10:00 01:55:00
61.R2g-2i 03:13:00 01:55:00
62.G4d-4c 03:13:00 02:08:00
63.B*4f!? 03:27:00 02:08:00
Here 63.P7e L9c P7d Px7d Bx9a+ was analyzed in the press room, but after R7b B4f+ B*8b
black has nothing else but take the rook and probably has to allow sennichite after
Bx8b+ Rx8b B*9a R7b B4f+ B*8b etc. Therefore, Habu played 63.B*4f because he didn't
saw anything better, but it is also a high class way of changing his attack. The idea
is to play P*4e followed by S4g next and move the silver to the third file. A very
interesting idea, but it gives Watanabe time to build a strong edge attack formation.
64.L9b-9c 03:27:00 02:37:00
65.P*4e 04:03:00 02:37:00
66.G4c-4b 04:03:00 03:20:00
67.S5f-4g 04:13:00 03:20:00
68.R8b-9b 04:13:00 03:43:00
69.P3f-3e 04:19:00 03:43:00
70.P3dx3e 04:19:00 03:45:00
71.B4fx3e 04:19:00 03:45:00
72.B*6d 04:19:00 04:33:00
73.P5g-5f 04:29:00 04:33:00
74.P9d-9e 04:29:00 04:36:00
75.P9fx9e 04:44:00 04:36:00
76.P*9f 04:44:00 04:36:00
77.B3e-5g 04:48:00 04:36:00
78.L9cx9e 04:48:00 04:37:00
79.P*9h 04:48:00 04:37:00
80.P*3d 04:48:00 05:16:00
81.S4g-3f 05:26:00 05:16:00
82.P7c-7d 05:26:00 05:27:00
Here white wants to play 82.P*4f to close the bishop diagonal, but after 83.P*3e
Px3e Sx3e this pawn is lost.
83.P1f-1e?! 05:37:00 05:27:00
Hard to see, but 83.P4d may have been better here. For example, 84.Sx4e P1e Px1e
P*1c and without the silver on 3c, the defense is much weaker than in the game.
Best seems 84.R8b (P*4f is again met with P*3e), but after 85.P1e Px1e N4e Sx4d
P*1c followed by P2d, the black attack looks very strong.
84.P1dx1e 05:37:00 05:27:00
85.P2e-2d 05:37:00 05:27:00
86.S3cx2d 05:37:00 05:27:00
87.S3f-2e 05:37:00 05:27:00
88.P*4f! 05:37:00 05:58:00
The point. Because the black silver has moved to 2e, white can now play this pawn
drop, limiting the freedom of the black bishop.
89.S2ex2d 05:47:00 05:58:00
90.P2cx2d 05:47:00 05:58:00
91.S*8c 05:47:00 05:58:00
92.R9b-5b 05:47:00 06:21:00
93.S8cx7d+ 05:51:00 06:21:00
94.B6d-9a 05:51:00 06:21:00
95.R2ix2d 06:16:00 06:21:00
96.G3b-2c! 06:16:00 06:23:00
Looks like this weakens the white castle, but it is actually the correct defense.
The reflex move 96.P*2c can be both answered by 97.R2f or 97.Rx3d P*3c R3f (S*4g Bx4f)
and there is no good way for white to start a counter attack. Actually, Watanabe played
96.G2c for another reason: "To strengthen the edge".
97.R2d-2f 06:17:00 06:23:00
98.P*2e 06:17:00 06:24:00
99.N3gx2e 06:26:00 06:24:00
Or 99.Rx2e P*2d R2f S*3e R2i S3f and there is a lot of pressure on the black attacking
formation.
100.P*2d 06:26:00 06:24:00
101.P*1b? 06:33:00 06:24:00
This is the move that Habu regretted most. It gives white a vital pawn in hand, so the
correct move would have been to play 101.B8d without dropping the pawn. Then 102.P4g+
Gx4g B1i+ P*1b +Lx1h (Kx1b fails to Lx1e P*1d R1f and Lx1b to P*1c) Px1a+ Kx1a and in
the post-mortem analysis Habu admitted that he had no idea how to play next, but it
was discovered that after P5e black had good chances.
102.K2bx1b 06:33:00 06:29:00
103.B5g-8d 06:34:00 06:29:00
104.P4f-4g+ 06:34:00 06:37:00
105.G4hx4g 06:34:00 06:37:00
106.G2c-1d 06:34:00 06:47:00
107.B8dx9e 06:49:00 06:47:00
108.P2dx2e 06:49:00 06:47:00
109.R2f-3f 07:05:00 06:47:00
110.K1b-2c 07:05:00 06:53:00
The king on 1b looked vulnerable, but white has moved up all his pieces and like in
the previous game, the high king is very difficult to mate. White now clearly has the
better position.
111.P5f-5e 07:06:00 06:53:00
112.S5dx4e 07:06:00 06:53:00
113.R3f-3i 07:06:00 06:53:00
114.P*4f 07:06:00 06:54:00
115.G4g-3f 07:06:00 06:54:00
116.S4ex3f 07:06:00 07:02:00
117.R3ix3f 07:06:00 07:02:00
118.P4f-4g+ 07:06:00 07:02:00
119.+S7d-6c 07:07:00 07:02:00
120.R5b-9b 07:07:00 07:08:00
121.B9e-5a+ 07:07:00 07:08:00
122.S*6i 07:07:00 07:14:00
123.S*4e 07:19:00 07:14:00
124.N*2b 07:19:00 07:24:00
125.P*4c 07:36:00 07:24:00
Here 125.L*9e looks very good because white cannot drop a pawn to shut out the lance.
However, after 126.Bx5e Lx9b+ +P5g is a mating threat that is very hard to defend.
Therefore, 126.Bx5e R5f is necessary, after which Watanabe had planned Bx7g+ Gx7g S*6h
P8f R8b and the lance drop seems to have been useless, but further analysis showed that
the position is difficult. Instead of giving up the bishop with Bx7g+, it seems that
white can keep his advantage after B4f instead.
126.G4b-3c 07:36:00 07:25:00
127.P*3e 07:36:00 07:25:00
128.P3dx3e 07:36:00 07:28:00
129.R3f-3i 07:36:00 07:28:00
130.S6ix7h+ 07:36:00 07:34:00
131.K8hx7h 07:36:00 07:34:00
132.B9ax5e 07:36:00 07:34:00
The bishop that had been sleeping in the corner for a large part of the game now
enters the attack decisively.
133.P*3d 07:37:00 07:34:00
134.N2bx3d 07:37:00 07:36:00
135.P4c-4b+ 07:43:00 07:36:00
136.+P4g-5g 07:43:00 07:40:00
137.L*6i 07:44:00 07:40:00
138.P6e-6f 07:44:00 07:41:00
139.P6gx6f 07:51:00 07:41:00
140.P*6h 07:51:00 07:43:00
141.L6ix6h 07:51:00 07:43:00
142.P*6g 07:51:00 07:44:00
143.S*4d 07:55:00 07:44:00
144.B5ex6f 07:55:00 07:51:00
145.S4dx3c+ 07:59:00 07:51:00
146.K2cx3c 07:59:00 07:51:00
Resigns 07:59:00 07:51:00
No mate against the white king and the black king will be mated easily after +Px6h
and there is no good defense against this threat so Habu resigned here. This ends
another attempt for Habu to get honorary titles in all of the major titles. He didn't
come as close as two years ago, when he famously lost after taking a 3-0 lead. As for
Watanabe, one has to wonder what can make him give up the Ryu-O title. With another
impressive title defense he chalks up his 7th consecutive Ryu-O title (breaking his
own record) and he is only 26 years old. Furthermore, it seems like he is dispatching
his opponents with more and more ease. Moriuchi suffered a whitewash last year and Habu
always had an uphill battle after losing the first two games in this match. In the
post-game interview Watanabe said that in the Ryu-O match he always seems to be able to
play his best shogi and he probably never said a truer word.